Camera system

ABSTRACT

Systems, apparatuses, and methods are described which provide a camera system. A camera is in communication with a positioning device. The positioning device has a compass, gyroscope, and emits an infrared light beam. The camera has a sensor that receives reflected and/or scattered infrared light from a moving target. The camera changes its focus, zoom, and/or angle of a field of view of the camera based on information from its sensor, and gyroscope and compass information from the positioning device and/or camera.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No.16/366,760, filed Mar. 27, 2019, which claims benefit from and priorityto U.S. Application No. 62/648,763, filed Mar. 27, 2018. Theabove-identified applications are hereby incorporated by referenceherein in their entirety.

BACKGROUND

Conventional cameras provide a static view of an object. If the objectof the picture moves, then the object can move out of the field of viewor become out of focus. Moreover, a person is unable to keep his or herhands free when operating a conventional camera.

Further limitations and disadvantages of conventional and traditionalapproaches will become apparent to one of skill in the art, throughcomparison of such systems with the present disclosure as set forth inthe remainder of the present application with reference to the drawings.

BRIEF SUMMARY

Systems, apparatuses, and methods provide a camera system substantiallyas illustrated by and/or described in connection with at least one ofthe figures, as set forth more completely in the claims.

Various advantages, aspects and novel features of the presentdisclosure, as well as details of an illustrated embodiment thereof,will be more fully understood from the following description anddrawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a camera system according to the presentdisclosure.

FIG. 2 shows the operation of the camera system according to anembodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 3 shows a positioning device according to an embodiment of thepresent disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

As utilized herein, “and/or” means any one or more of the items in thelist joined by “and/or”. As an example, “x and/or y” means any elementof the three-element set {(x), (y), (x, y)}. As another example, “x, y,and/or z” means any element of the seven-element set {(x), (y), (z), (x,y), (x, z), (y, z), (x, y, z)}. As utilized herein, the term “exemplary”means serving as a non-limiting example, instance, or illustration. Asutilized herein, the terms “e.g.” and “for example” set off lists of oneor more non-limiting examples, instances, or illustrations.

The drawings are of illustrative embodiments. They do not illustrate allembodiments. Other embodiments may be used in addition or instead.Details that may be apparent or unnecessary may be omitted to save spaceor for more effective illustration. Some embodiments may be practicedwith additional components or steps and/or without all of the componentsor steps that are illustrated.

Some embodiments according to the present disclosure provide systems,apparatuses, and methods relating to camera systems.

FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of an embodiment of a camera systemaccording to the present disclosure. Referring to FIG. 1 , the camerasystem 100 includes a camera 105 and a positioning device 110. Thecamera 105 can be or include, for example, a recording device, a videorecorder, an image recorder, a digital camera, a digital video recorder,etc. The camera 105 can configured to be supported by or rest on acamera mount (e.g., a tripod, platform, etc.). The camera 105 and thecamera mount (not shown) can be operatively coupled via a wireless orwired link. The camera 105 and the positioning device 110 can beoperatively coupled via a communication link 115. The communication link115 can be wired (e.g., cable, wire, etc.) and/or wireless (e.g.,cellular, WiFi, Bluetooth, radio frequency (RF), wireless local areanetwork (WLAN), personal area network (PAN), IEEE 802.11, IEEE 802.16,Zigbee, satellite, infrared, optical, etc.). The communication link 115can be one-way or two-way.

In some embodiments, the camera 105 can include, for example, aprocessor 120, a memory 130 (e.g., a non-transitory memory), a sensor140 (e.g., an infrared sensor, an RF sensor, an electromagnetic sensor,etc.), a motor 145, and other input/output devices 150 (e.g., a display,a keyboard, a touch-sensitive screen, ports and/or transceivers forwireless and/or wired communication, transmitters, receivers,communication devices, buttons, user interfaces, graphical userinterfaces, etc.). In some embodiments, the camera 105 can also includea compass and a gyroscope. These components or subsystems can beoperatively coupled via, for example, one or more buses (not shown).

In some embodiments, the positioning device 110 can include, forexample, a processor 160, a memory 170, a compass 180, a gyroscope 190(e.g., a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) gyroscope), an infraredlight emitter 200 (or other type of electromagnetic source such as avisible light emitter, a radio frequency emitter, a microwave emitter,etc.), a sensor 210 (e.g., an infrared sensor, an RF sensor, anelectromagnetic sensor, etc.), and other input/output devices 220 (e.g.,a display, a keyboard, a touch-sensitive screen, transceivers forwireless and/or wired communication, transmitters, receivers,communication devices, buttons, user interfaces, graphical userinterfaces, etc.). These components or subsystems can be operativelycoupled via, for example, one or more buses.

FIG. 2 shows the camera system 100 in operation according to anembodiment of the present disclosure. Referring to FIG. 2 , a target 230(e.g., wildlife, object, person, vehicle, etc.) is moving (e.g.,continuously or sporadically moving) from position A to position B andthen from position B to position C.

Some embodiments provide that the positioning device 110 is pointed oraimed at the target 230 at position A and is caused (e.g., afteractuating a trigger) to emit an infrared beam 240 (e.g., via theinfrared light emitter 200). Some embodiments contemplate that thepositioning device 110 has one or more lenses to focus the infrared beam240. The infrared beam 240 is reflected or scattered off of the target230 at position A, and the reflected or scattered infrared beam 250 isreceived by the sensor 140 of the camera 105. Some embodimentscontemplate that one or more lenses may be used as part of the camera105 to direct or guide infrared light to the sensor 140. The signalreceived by the processor 120 of the camera 105 from the sensor 140based on the received reflected or scattered infrared beam provides thecamera 105 with information as to the location (e.g., distance and/ordirection) of the target 230, and/or the speed and/or movement directionof the target 230. Several signals or a sampling of one or more signalsover a period of time from the sensor 140 might be used to determine thespeed and/or movement direction of the target 230. Based on the receivedreflected or scattered infrared beam signals and the informationdetermined based on the received reflected or scattered infrared beamsignals, the processor 120 causes the camera 105 to automatically adjustone or more of a focus, a zoom, and an angle of the field of view.

In addition, some embodiments provide that the compass 180 and thegyroscope 190 of the positioning device 110 and/or the camera 105provide information about where the positioning device 110 and/or thecamera 105 is pointed or aimed at, thereby providing additionalinformation about the position of the target 230, and/or the speedand/or movement direction of the target 230. The information from thecompass 180 and the gyroscope 190 of the positioning device 110 can besent to the camera 105 via the communication link 115 (e.g., wirelessand/or wired link) and/or provided by a compass and gyroscope 190 of thecamera 105. Based on the information received by the compass 180 and thegyroscope 180 from the positioning device 110 and/or generated by thecamera 105, the processor 120 causes the camera 105 to automaticallyadjust one or more of a focus, a zoom, and an angle of the field ofview.

Some embodiments provide that the compass- and gyroscope-basedinformation received from the positioning device 110 and/or provided bycamera 105 can be used by the processor 120 of the camera 105 toindicate (e.g., graphically) where to position the camera 105 so thatthe front of the camera 105, for example, will face the target 230.

Some embodiments provide that the compass- and gyroscope-basedinformation can be used by the camera 105 to automatically adjust one ormore of a focus, a zoom, and an angle of the field of view even if thetarget 230 is missed by the infrared beam emitted by the positioningdevice 110.

Some embodiments provide that the location of the target 230 in thefield of view of the camera 105 can cause the processor 120 of thecamera to change one or more of a focus, a zoom, and an angle of thefield of view of the camera 105.

Some embodiments provide that the processor 120 of the camera 105 cancompare the information received from the sensor 140 and the informationreceived from the positioning device 110. Based on the comparison andpossibly recent historical information stored in the camera 105, theprocessor 102 can select or weight information received from the sensor140 and information received from the positioning device 110. Someembodiments provide that, based on the comparison, the camera 105 mayautomatically adjust or refine one or more of a focus, a zoom, and anangle of the field of view to more precisely or accurately track orfollows the target 230 and keep the target 230 in the field of view ofthe camera.

Some embodiments provide that the processor 120 of the camera 105 canstore, in memory 130, information received visually via its sensor 140and digital compass-based and/or gyroscope-based information from thepositioning device 110 from various target locations. The historicalinformation (e.g., recent historical information) can be used to smoothout information being received, for example, from an unsteady handwielding the positioning device 110. The historical information can alsoprovide a basis from which other target locations can be relativelylocated.

When the target 230 reaches position B, the positioning device 110 isaimed or pointed at the target 230 at position B and caused to emit aninfrared beam 260 at the target 230 at position B. Some embodimentsprovide that the positioning device 110 can be triggered to emit theinfrared beam 260 at the target at position B. The infrared beam 260 isreflected or scattered off of the target 230 at position B, and thereflected or scattered infrared beam 270 is received by the sensor 140of the camera 105. The signal received by the processor 120 from thesensor 140 based on the received reflected or scattered infrared beamprovides the camera 105 with information as to the location (e.g.,distance and/or direction) of the target 230, and/or the speed and/ormovement direction of the target 230. Based on information determinedbased on the received reflected or scattered infrared beam signals, theprocessor 120 causes the camera 105 to automatically adjust or refineone or more of a focus, a zoom, and an angle of the field of view tomore precisely or accurately track or follow the target 230 and keep thetarget 230 in the field of view of the camera.

For example, based on the information determined based on the receivedreflected or scattered infrared beam signals, the processor 120 maydetermine, for example, that, in moving from position A to position B,the target 230 has moved away from the camera 105 and further left inthe field of view of the camera 105. The processor 120 may furtherdetermine, for example, that the target 230 is continuing to move leftin field of view of the camera 105 at a particular speed and in aparticular direction. Based on such exemplary determinations, theprocessor 120 may cause the camera 105 to adjust the angle of the fieldof view. The processor 120 may have to consider competing factors (e.g.,weight different factors) such as the target 230 moving away which mayfavor making the angle of the field of view smaller versus the target230 moving left in the field of view of the camera 105 which may favormaking the angle of the field of view larger so that the target 230 doesnot move out of the field of view. In addition, the processor 120 mayneed to adjust and/or refine the autofocus and/or autozoom. For example,the processor 120 may need to consider the speed and direction of thetarget 230 in determining whether to change an angle of the field ofview, an autofocus, and/or an autozoom.

Based on the information determined based on the received reflected orscattered infrared beam signals, the processor 120 may determine, forexample, that, in moving from position B to position C, the target 230has moved towards the camera 105 and further left in the field of viewof the camera 105. The processor 120 may further determine, for example,that the target 230 is continuing to move left in field of view of thecamera 105 at a particular speed and in a particular direction. Based onsuch exemplary determinations, the processor 120 may cause the camera105 to adjust the angle of the field of view. The processor 120 mighthave to consider a plurality of factors (e.g., weight different factors)such as the target 230 moving closer which may favor making the angle ofthe field of view larger, and the target 230 moving left in the field ofview of the camera 105 which may favor making the angle of the field ofview larger so that the target 230 does not move out of the field ofview. In addition, the processor 120 may need adjust and/or refine theautofocus and/or autozoom. For example, the processor 120 may need toconsider the speed and direction of the target 230 in determiningwhether to change or refine an angle of the field of view, an autofocus,and/or an autozoom.

In addition, the processor 120 may need to take into account, anymovement in the direction of camera 105. The camera 105 may provide agyroscope and/or a compass to provide direction information about thedirection that the camera 105 is facing. Thus, for example, if thecamera 105 is rotating manually or automatically in a direction thatkeeps the target 230 centered in its field of view as the target 230moves from position A to position B to position C, then the processor120 may need to consider this factor (e.g., weight this factor) indetermining whether to increase, decrease, or maintain the angle of viewand/or to adjust and/or refine the autofocus and/or autozoom. Further,if the camera 105 is directed past a particle angle relative tovertical, then the processor 120 may need to flip the picture beingrecorded or viewed.

Some embodiments provide that the infrared beam is emitted continuouslyor periodically, for example, when a button is held down on thepositioning device 110. Thus, with the button held down, the positioningdevice 110 can be fluidly aimed at the target 230 as it moves fromposition A to position B and from position B to position C, for example.The camera 105 with the sensor 140 can fluidly follow or track thetarget 230. Further, the camera 105 can fluidly adjust the angle of thefield of view, an autofocus, and/or an autozoom as the target 230 movesfrom position A to position B and to position C.

Some embodiments provide that the positioning device 120 has its ownsensor 210. Accordingly, the positioning device 120 can emit theinfrared beam from its infrared light emitter 200, and can receive thereflected or scattered infrared beam via its sensor 210 alongsubstantially the same beam path (e.g., back and forth along path 240 inFIG. 2 ). Thus, the positioning device 120 use this visual data from itssensor 210 to determine the location (e.g., distance and/or direction)of the target 230, and/or the speed and/or movement direction of thetarget 230. This information can be sent to the camera 105 via thecommunication link 115.

FIG. 3 shows an embodiment of the positioning device 110 according tothe present disclosure. The positioning device 110 is shown with ahousing 270 that houses the infrared light emitter 200. A cap 280disposed at an end portion of the housing 270 closes a batterycompartment that includes one or more batteries 290. The positioningdevice 110 is illustrated with a trigger 300 to activate the infraredlight emitter 200 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.The trigger 300 can have an adhesive backing so that it can stick to asurface. Although the trigger 300 is shown as connected to the rest ofthe positioning device 110 via a cord 310, some embodiments contemplatethat the trigger 300 communicate with the rest of the positioning device110 via a wireless communication link. The illustrated embodiment of thepositioning device 110 also includes a mounting bracket 320 so that thepositioning device 110 can be mounted on a weapon (e.g., a gun, a rifle,a bow, a crossbow, etc.), any object, a vehicle, a platform, etc.Different types of mounting brackets can be structured or designed fordifferent applications.

Some embodiments provide that the camera 105 is disposed on a movableand/or rotatable camera mount. Some embodiments provide that the camera105 and the camera mount are also electrically connected and incommunication. The camera mount can be configured to rotate the camera105 approximately 360 degrees in a horizontal plane and rotateapproximately 330 degrees in a vertical plane. Some embodiments providethat the camera mount include a transparent housing that encloses andprotects the camera from the elements without substantially affectingthe ability of the camera to record images or the sensor 140 to senseinfrared light. Some embodiments provide that one or more of the camera105, the camera mount, and the positioning device 110 are equipped witha satellite-based positioning system (e.g., global positioning system(GPS)) to provide location information relating to the camera 105, thecamera mount, and/or the positioning device 110. Based on the receivedreflected or scattered infrared beam signals, the processor 120 maycause a motor 145 in the camera 105 and/or in the camera mount to movethe camera so that the front, for example, of the camera 105 faces(e.g., follows, tracks, etc.) the target 230. The processor 120 of thecamera 105 can further use the facing direction of the camera 105 aswell as the information determined based on the received reflected orscattered infrared beam signals to automatically adjust one or more of afocus, a zoom, and an angle of the field of view.

While the present disclosure has been described with reference tocertain embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the artthat various changes may be made and equivalents may be substitutedwithout departing from the scope of the present disclosure. In addition,many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation ormaterial to the teachings of the present disclosure without departingfrom its scope. Therefore, it is intended that the present disclosurenot be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed, but that thepresent disclosure will include all embodiments falling within the scopeof the appended claims.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A system, comprising: a camera thatincludes a processor and a sensor; a positioning device comprising anelectromagnetic source configured to emit a beam of electromagneticradiation in an aim direction and adjust the aim direction of the beamsuch that the beam remains aimed at a target as the target moves from afirst position to a second position; wherein the positioning device isconfigured to send target position information to the camera; whereinthe sensor is configured to sense electromagnetic radiation of the beamreflected or scattered by the target as the target moves from the firstposition to the second position and provide the processor withinformation indicative of the sensed electromagnetic radiation; andwherein the processor, based on a comparison of the informationindicative of the sensed electromagnetic radiation and the targetposition information, causes the camera to track the target from thefirst position to the second position and adjust one or more of a focus,a zoom, and an angle of a field of view of the camera to account formovement of the target as the target moves from the first position tothe second position.
 2. The system according to claim 1, wherein: theelectromagnetic source comprises an infrared light emitter configured toemit an infrared beam in the aim direction that maintains the infraredbeam aimed at the target; and the sensor includes an infrared sensorconfigured to sense the infrared beam reflected or scattered by thetarget.
 3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the positioningdevice is external to the camera.
 4. The system according to claim 1,wherein the processor is configured to determine a speed of the targetbased on the information indicative of the sensed electromagneticradiation and cause the camera to automatically adjust one or more ofthe focus, the zoom, and the angle of the field of view of the camerabased on the determined speed of the target.
 5. The system according toclaim 1, wherein the positioning device is configured to be mounted on aweapon.
 6. The system according to claim 1, wherein the positioningdevice is configured to be operated as a handheld device.
 7. The systemaccording to claim 1, wherein the positioning device is configured to bemounted on an object.
 8. The system according to claim 1, wherein: thepositioning device comprises a gyroscope and a compass that generateinformation indicative of the aim direction of the electromagneticsource as the aim direction is adjusted to track movement of the target;and the target position information comprises the information indicativeof the aim direction.
 9. The system according to claim 1, wherein thepositioning device is configured to adjust the aim direction of theelectromagnetic source independently of the camera.
 10. The systemaccording to claim 1, wherein the processor is configured toautomatically adjust the angle of the field of view of the camera basedon the information indicative of the sensed electromagnetic radiation.11. A system, comprising: a camera that includes a processor and asensor; and a positioning device configured to be aimed in an aimdirection independently of the camera, adjust the aim direction suchthat the positioning device remains aimed at a target as the targetmoves from a first position to a second position, and provide the camerawith information indicative of the aim direction as the positioningdevice tracks the target from the first position to the second position;wherein the sensor is configured to sense electromagnetic radiationreflected or scattered by the target as the target moves from the firstposition to the second position and provide the processor withinformation indicative of the sensed electromagnetic radiation; andwherein the processor is configured to automatically adjust, based on acomparison of the information indicative of the aim direction of thepositioning device and the information indicative of the sensedelectromagnetic radiation, one or more of a focus, a zoom, and an angleof a field of view of the camera as the target moves from the firstposition to the second position.
 12. The system according to claim 11,wherein the positioning device comprises a gyroscope and a compass thatgenerate the information indicative of the aim direction of thepositioning device.
 13. The system according to claim 11, wherein thepositioning device includes an electromagnetic source configured to emita beam of electromagnetic radiation in the aim direction of thepositioning device.
 14. The system according to claim 11, wherein theprocessor is configured to determine a movement direction of the targetbased on the information provided by the positioning device and causethe camera to automatically adjust one or more of the focus, the zoom,and the angle of the field of view of the camera based on the determinedmovement direction of the target.
 15. The system according to claim 11,wherein the processor is configured to determine a speed of the targetbased on the information provided by the positioning device and causethe camera to automatically adjust one or more of the focus, the zoom,and the angle of the field of view of the camera based on the determinedspeed of the target.
 16. The system according to claim 11, wherein thepositioning device is configured to be mounted on a weapon.
 17. Thesystem according to claim 11, wherein the positioning device isconfigured to be operated as a handheld device.
 18. The system accordingto claim 11, wherein the processor is configured to automatically adjustthe angle of the field of view of the camera based on the informationprovided by the positioning device.